There are a lot of foreigners here who make amvs. Here in the great American empire though, we don't know much about your foreign politics, because quite frankly, your little countries aren't important. However, in the name of further educating our great American people, I would like to hear more about the politics in other countries.

What are the current issues in your country? Are there any political uprisings or scandals occurring? Is power changing to the hands of another party? Are the people in your country divided on a major issue? Are any important new laws being passed? Do you vehemently disagree with a current policy?

Discuss, so us great Americans can become fully educated on the problems of your country based on the limited content of your forum post.

Well currently Canada is run by a minority Conservative government. "Conservative" in Canada is of course quite relative, although they're certainly my least favorite party. In actuality they're just slightly right-of-center, and well to the left of the US Democrats for example, although they do have a tendency to play along with the Americans. Thus the current government's commitment to stick in Afghanistan.

Before that the Liberals, which are basically a centrist party, were in power, but they fucked things up with weak leadership and some unclear corruption scandals. The liberals hold a fairly large minority in the government as well.

The two parties that suddenly became important, because the Conservative minority government needs at least one other party to support all their bills, are the NDP and the Bloc Quebecois. The Bloc is basically a French Nationalist party and are only relevant in Quebec, but it seems the Conservatives have been sucking up to them, thus prime minister Harper's recent approval of a declaration that Quebec is a "nation within Canada". The NDP is a social democrat party, a lot like your typical European social democrat parties. They're keen on welfare, social services, free education, minority rights and labour rights. I guess they'd be the sort of "Liberals" that American conservatives are so horrified at.

These are the only represented parties, with NDP having only a few seats. There's some parties that are always on the voting ballot but have yet to get a seat - including the Green Party, the Marijuana Party, the Marxist-Leninist Party and the Canadian Communist Party.

I've tended to vote NDP and Green variously, mostly based on who is likely to make more noise about certain things (like proportional representation, stance on war, or education funding) in the nearest election, but I'm not at all in agreement with either of them on everything. At one point about a year ago, I was seriously considering joining the Communist party, but ultimately decided they were dumb and too far absorbed in silly social issues instead of the more over-arching economical ones. I also have to confess to voting Liberal once to deliberately try to keep the Conservatives from power.

All in all though, I'm really disappointed in "democracy" here. The system is such that my views count for shit here. I'll keep putting in my ballot for NDP and/or Green in the future, but I've given up hope that I'll see any regime that tackles the severe and total economic fuckover that I believe is in the books for the larger capitalist society, Canada included.

Otohiko wrote:Thus the current government's commitment to stick in Afghanistan.

Canada has troops?In Afghanistan?

Did not know that!

Otohiko wrote:the Marijuana Party

Otohiko wrote:I've tended to vote NDP and Green variously

Is the green party pretty much the same as the US green party? I must admit I honestly don't know that much about our own green party. I know our regular democrats are very keen on improving the environment, so I can only imagine what kind of hardcore nature-lovers those in the green party must be.

Otohiko wrote:Thus the current government's commitment to stick in Afghanistan.

Canada has troops?In Afghanistan?

Did not know that!

Yea, they have the largest contingent there next to the British in fact. Canada is responsible for two large Afghan provinces.

Otohiko wrote:I've tended to vote NDP and Green variously

Is the green party pretty much the same as the US green party? I must admit I honestly don't know that much about our own green party. I know our regular democrats are very keen on improving the environment, so I can only imagine what kind of hardcore nature-lovers those in the green party must be.[/quote]

I'd say about the same as the US green party. Between them and the Marijuana party, Canada at least has a good voting choice for true hippies

Otohiko wrote:I've tended to vote NDP and Green variously, mostly based on who is likely to make more noise about certain things (like proportional representation, stance on war, or education funding) in the nearest election, but I'm not at all in agreement with either of them on everything.

All in all though, I'm really disappointed in "democracy" here. The system is such that my views count for shit here. I'll keep putting in my ballot for NDP and/or Green in the future, but I've given up hope that I'll see any regime that tackles the severe and total economic fuckover that I believe is in the books for the larger capitalist society, Canada included.

Aye, it's a shame Green's last campaign went along the lines of: "We have a good platform, but we don't have a large enough support base, so don't vote for us... yet".

I'm currently in Montana USA right now, but more or less I can update you fellow AMVers on my perspective of my home country, The People's Republic of China.
Unlike other governments in the west, China operates through a specific political division called levels. China has the The Constitution of the People's Republic of China provides for three levels: the province, county, and township. However, two more levels have been inserted in actual implementation: the prefecture, under provinces; and the village, under townships.

While China today is still viewed as a Communist state, the restrictions and powering rule have changed dramatically over the years since way before I was born. Today China is unique because it's literally a neo-government that still keeps the foundations of tradition, such as media control and population control. In other words, a dark world is now on the bridge between a hopeful world and an uncertain world. We just don't know where China is going. We don't know if the results are good or bad, but certainly it's different than ever before.

I was standing once again in Tiananmen Square last year in amazement at how clean the place was. How royal the place felt. It sure felt more sacred than any other capital I've seen. Especially when compared to the dirtiness and unorganized Washington D.C, a capital I visited 3 months earlier.

So my thoughts are in-depth and rather complex. But hopefully China can have a hope-full future, because it's sure capable of taking on the rest of the world.

Korean politics are getting scary. They have their own evangelical Christian radical right movement going on. Five of the worlds largest Megachurches can be found in South Korea. One of them directly across from the National Assembly. They are pro-American interests, pro-American military intervention, and take a hard line with the North. My only genuine agreement is that they will protect me if I come under fire while in country: I'm an American.

The liberals, which I mostly agree with, pretty much hate America, with fairly good reason. Just as their ideological opponents love me for being American, they will hate me. My only possible defense is that I am a Roman Catholic, which is now a reactionary religion to Protestantism (mainly because the Megachurches are starting to appear to critics like hereditary fiefdoms with pastors passing the ministry fund and property onto their children). Priests are regularly cycled out, and never are in a position to amass personal wealth like in earlier Church history. Never thought you'd hear that one!

Nearly half of all Koreans believe that their current high standard of living is due directly to Christianity and its adherents, in both forms. This is very scary, and presents a problem for the continued de facto separation of Korean Church and Korean State, regardless of the legal declarations. Luckily, 60% feel the current Protestant denominations are leading the country down the wrong path, so perhaps I am overreacting to my own research.

One huge, huge development on the world stage was that both Koreas finally signed a peace accord on Oct. 4th, ending what was technically a half-century of declared warfare, held back only by a cease-fire.

Kionon wrote:They are pro-American interests, pro-American military intervention, and take a hard line with the North.

One huge, huge development on the world stage was that both Koreas finally signed a peace accord on Oct. 4th, ending what was technically a half-century of declared warfare, held back only by a cease-fire.

I'm not so sure about that. South Korea currently has a love/hate relationship with our military. The older generations are very grateful for our military presence as they can remember the war whereas portions of the younger generation have been calling for the military to pull out. Of course, they don't want us to leave... any such intent on our part would scare them, but they still protest our presence regardless. As a military member, I'm constantly reminded where protests are going to occur so I can avoid them. The tank accident in 2002 caused such a large anti-US movement that it is likely to have helped the current South Korean president get the edge to become elected.

A contractor I work with, who is of Korean decent but an American citizen, recently got in an accident in Seoul. He said he was hit by someone running a red light and that police were very sympathetic towards him until he produced his USFK identification. After that their tone changed and they found him partially responsible for the accident claiming "there were no witnesses".

As for the recent meeting between Kim Jong-Il and the South Korean President, the armistice is still in effect and the countries are technically still at war. All that happened at the meeting were promises to move towards peaceful relations and reunification. There was a similar summit back in 2000 and since then North Korea even went so far as to show off its nuclear capability. Hopefully the agreements are fruitful this time, though I won't hold my breath.

Kionon wrote:They are pro-American interests, pro-American military intervention, and take a hard line with the North.

One huge, huge development on the world stage was that both Koreas finally signed a peace accord on Oct. 4th, ending what was technically a half-century of declared warfare, held back only by a cease-fire.

I'm not so sure about that. South Korea currently has a love/hate relationship with our military. The older generations are very grateful for our military presence as they can remember the war whereas portions of the younger generation have been calling for the military to pull out. Of course, they don't want us to leave... any such intent on our part would scare them, but they still protest our presence regardless. As a military member, I'm constantly reminded where protests are going to occur so I can avoid them. The tank accident in 2002 caused such a large anti-US movement that it is likely to have helped the current South Korean president get the edge to become elected.

A contractor I work with, who is of Korean decent but an American citizen, recently got in an accident in Seoul. He said he was hit by someone running a red light and that police were very sympathetic towards him until he produced his USFK identification. After that their tone changed and they found him partially responsible for the accident claiming "there were no witnesses".

As for the recent meeting between Kim Jong-Il and the South Korean President, the armistice is still in effect and the countries are technically still at war. All that happened at the meeting were promises to move towards peaceful relations and reunification. There was a similar summit back in 2000 and since then North Korea even went so far as to show off its nuclear capability. Hopefully the agreements are fruitful this time, though I won't hold my breath.

What Eric said.

Being Korean myself, I can tell you that 100% of the country is NOT behind the military or Pro-American and as Eric simplified...it's generally the older folks who are appreciative while the younger want them out. In fact, there are downright crazy young folks (i.e. hippies) who want to re-unify with North Korean and have North Korea be the ruling Government (i.e. Communism) since they believe it will bring economic equality (yeah it will...everyone will be poor and starving except the military).

I've witnessed PLENTY of these demonstrations in my lifetime and it's amazing that that's still a constant after visiting 4 or 5 times throughout the course of 25 years of my life. When I was a wee lad I saw them and now that I'm older, I still see them.

Also as Eric said, the two Koreas are still at war technically. I'm not sure where you got information that said otherwise. Frankly knowing the North Korean leader, I wouldn't hold your breath on this one. It's been over 50 years with no (real) progress...

As for myself, I'm not worried about the problems within South Korea (and I am not saying they are minor), I am worried about the larger problem...North Korea across the border with Nuclear Weapons, a million man army and a lunatic leader. South Korea has a far smaller military and with the (I believe) ~70,000 US troops, it wouldn't take that long for North Korea to take over. In fact, it's been argued that once things get desperate with the famine, North Korea WILL invade since wars stimulate the economy. Also Kim Jung-Il is a prideful man so I wouldn't put it past him that he'd rather go out guns blazing then surrender to the 'enemy.'